LIVINGSTON, La. (BRPROUD) – Livingston Parish School Superintendent Joe Murphy announced Tuesday have released a reopening plan for the 2020-2021 school year.
“District leaders have been closely monitoring and developing reopening plans,” The school district said in a statement.
“Those plans may include multiple phases and options pending what policies may be put in place by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and recommended guidelines from the Louisiana Department of Education, Louisiana Department of Health and the Governor’s Office.”
The school system will reopen in phases.
Phase one will “be forced to open schools with all students in a virtual environment.”
Phase two will reopen a hybrid format, with an alternating schedule that “facilitates student learning through both virtual and in-person instruction.”
Phase three will include welcoming all students back to their campuses with social distancing provisions in place.
Parents expressed confusion about the plans, frustrated at what they said is a lack of detail.
“What is the cleaning and sanitation look like? Who does that? where are they getting the supplies? We are 30 days out and there’s just not really a plan to assess is this going to be a safe environment to send my kids back to,” Parent Cathleen Hyde said.
Hyde said she isn’t sure if she should buy school supplies or school uniforms.
“One thing I was really looking for was the logistics,” Hyde said.
Hyde expressed concern for parents who can’t afford childcare or to provide their children with the necessary technology for virtual learning.
“Are we doing virtual? How are we getting the devices? What does internet access look like? How much of that and how much effort does that require of the parents who have to be home with the children,” Hyde said.
Parent Tameika Hayes has a child with special needs, she said under the current plan she will not put her child at risk.
“Until we have a clear idea of whats going on I feel more comfortable with having my kids at home,” Hayes said.
Freda Hodges, a grandmother raising her four grandchildren is concerned for her own health and the lack of people wearing masks.
“My kids wear a mask if they go in a store. You go in a store and no one has a mask on in Livingston and I’m not taking a chance,” Hodges said.
More details about the plan are expected to be released on July 17th.
Livingston Schools will release a survey by Friday of this week to see how students will “enter and exit” campuses during the phased reopening.